Shadow Blossom
by dryice02
Summary: Sakura has been gone for three years and returns as the infamous Shadow Ninja. But when Sakura and her former sensei, Kakashi are captured will they find death or love? SakuKaka fanfic.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto, if I did I wouldn't have to wait around week after week to find out what happens next because I'd already know.

**Authors Note:** Okay, so this is my first fanfic, hopefully I don't have too many mistakes, if I do let me know so that I know for future chapters. This is a SakuKaka fanfic, and the rating will most likely be bumped M in later chapters, but this chapter is safe.

**Extra Note:** In case I forget to put a disclaimer on any future chapters please know that Naruto is in no way my own creation, just this story.

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Shadow Blossom

The wind was harsh today Sakura noted as she stood outside the main gates to Konoha. She was still wary, unsure about Tsunade's orders.

"_Sakura."_

"_Yes mom?"_

"_You remember how I told you that your grandmother used to be a ninja like you before she retired?" Sakura scratched her head, wondering what her mother was getting at. Sakura had things to do._

"_Vaguely. Why?"_

"_She wants to see you. She won't tell me why because I'm not a ninja like you, something about a family secret." Her mother looked slightly frustrated but Sakura sighed and nodded. She left a few minutes later, using chakra to speed her journey to her grandmother's small house on the outskirts of Konoha. She knocked on the door._

"_Grandma? It's Sakura, are you home?"_

"_Ah. Yes, come in Sakura." Her grandmother sounded weary, and when Sakura opened the door she realized that her grandmother was bedridden. To weak to move very far._

"_Grandma you should be in the hospital!"_

"_Pah. Nonsense, I'm perfectly health, and I'd like to die in my own bed, I hate that hospital, it's seen too much of my life already." Sakura nodded, not wanting to upset her grandmother._

"_Why did you want to see me?"_

"_Ah. Yes." Her grandmother reached a wrinkled hand to something beneath her pillow and pulled out a scroll._

"_I knew you were coming so I wrote this up for you."_

"_What is it?" Sakura took the large scroll and opened it. Thousands of hand seals lined the scroll._

"_That is the Haruno secret jutsu. You must memorize all of those hand seals and then perform the seals properly. Once you have done it once, you need never do the seals again. All you have to do is think and you can do." Sakura frowned._

"_Grandma, what is this jutsu?"_

"_It is called kage riyousha jutsu. It allows you to control and use shadows. You can do anything from seeming to be a shadow, to transporting through shadows, to creating creatures from the shadows. It is a powerful jutsu, known only to the ninja within the Haruno family Sakura. Once you have memorized the scroll you must burn it. Only write it down when you go to pass the jutsu on. Never let another know how to perform the jutsu. As I said, perform it once and you need only use one thought to perform it again. Its possibilities are endless Sakura." Sakura frowned._

"_But grandma, if this jutsu is so powerful how come the Haruno family isn't well known?" Her grandmother smiled._

"_Not many of us had enough chakra to complete that jutsu, me included, but you have enough Sakura." Sakura frowned.  
"Grandma, I don't have that much chakra."_

"_Perhaps no compared to your team-mates, but compared to the other Haruno ancestors, you have one of the highest chakras known. You can utilize this jutsu Sakura. Make me proud." _

_Sakura studied as hard as she could, thankful for her quick memorization abilities. Her grandmother had passed away as soon as Sakura had left, and now Sakura was determined to complete the jutsu. After assuring herself that she had the entire scroll memorized Sakura performed the jutsu. It took almost all of her chakra to activate the jutsu, but she did it. She burned the scroll soon after, and then began to practice her kage riyousha jutsu. She found that after the initial hand seals utilizing her new found jutsu required very little chakra, and, as her grandmother had said, the possibilities were endless, anything her mind could come up with, although some things required more chakra than others. _

Sakura came out of her thoughts. That had been when she was sixteen, Sasuke had just come back and had been restricted to Konoha for two years. A few months after that Sakura had proposed her idea to Tsunade.

"_Tsunade-sensei, I wish to 'go missing'." Tsunade looked up sharply._

"_What?"_

"_I wish for Sakura to go missing and to be thought dead when I'm on my next mission."_

"_Why on earth would you want that Sakura?"_

"_Because then I can become an unnamed ninja that works for Konoha, one that is always in the field, one that has no name, and no one will know it's me, because I'd be thought to be dead already."_

"_But Sakura-"_

"_Please Tsunade-sensei, I know what I'm doing, and I'll come to you in secret, so that I can give you my reports and you can give me new missions, but I think it would be best this way, I don't want my friends to wonder where I am, or, if I become a threat, to be in trouble. I want this. Please? I'll still follow your orders. Besides, with Sasuke back and restricted to Konoha and Naruto back to training with Jiraiya there really is no reason for me to be here. Please, I don't want my friends to worry about me, and they can't worry about someone thought to be dead sensei." Tsunade frowned, but slowly nodded._

"_Very well Sakura, on one condition."_

"_What is that sensei?"_

"_When I order you to come back, you have to return and once again become Sakura Haruno. Understood?" Sakura bowed._

"_As you wish sensei."_

That had been three years ago. And now Tsunade had ordered her to return to the 'living' as she put it. Sakura wasn't all that happy about returning. For the past three years Sakura had been the unnamed ninja of Konoha, also known as the Ninja of the Shadows, or the Shadow Ninja. Sakura liked the second name, it suited her now. After all, she was part of the shadows and they were a part of her. But to return to Konoha and allow people to see her, and to once again become Sakura. It would be strange, and Sakura wasn't sure how her old friends would react. She wasn't even sure of Naruto's reaction, she had been gone so long, and they had all probably changed. Sakura herself had changed. Living alone could do that to a person.

Sakura sighed and strode slowly up to the gate. Glad that she was still wearing her own uniform, one that hid her identity from the world, yet one that was readily known to be the Shadow Ninja's. She had knee high black boots instead of the normal sandals, and she wore a mesh shirt that didn't cover her stomach, but it went down one full arm, and partially down her other. She wore a tight black hood that also covered her eyes. It served both as cover for her pink hair and as a mask. Then she wore another mask, the same as Kakashi's, it made it so that only her green eyes were visible, nothing else. She wore short black shorts, and a black vest. She also had ribbons of black material tied to her body in several places. It made her look more like a shadow, more dangerous. And while most ninjas would find that the ribbons got in their way Sakura had worn her uniform for so long that they didn't hinder her at all.

Sakura strode into Konoha, her protector was worn like a belt on her shorts. The guards gaped at her, probably having heard stories, yet none of them tried to stop her, not that they could, but still, what if she had been an enemy? Sakura had come back, but that didn't mean that she wasn't going to try to convince Tsunade to change her mind. Sakura didn't want to return to the living, because she was still the Shadow Ninja, and combining both personas would be hard, and she knew that in the end she would scare those around her. Because she was, essentially the Shadow Ninja, taking back her name couldn't change that. And the Shadow Ninja wasn't normal, and she tended to scare people. Sakura didn't want her friends to fear her, or think her strange, or look at her with distain. So she would fight. She would lose, she knew, but she would still fight.

The sharp edge of a kunai pressed against the fabric at her throat.

"Who are you, and where do you think you're going?" It may have been three years, but Sakura still recognized the voice of her former crush, even though his voice had deepened. She didn't hold any feeling for him, but she felt a thrill at meeting him again, even if she didn't know who she was. Sakura hissed.

"Why, I'm the Shadow Ninja of Konoha, going to see the Hokage. Care to escort me since you distrust me so?" The kunai didn't move.

"Fine. Move, let's go, and then we'll see if you really are who you say you are."

Sakura sighed as they entered the Hokage's office. Tsunade looked up sharply, her eyes going rather wide when she noticed who held the kunai at Sakura's throat.

"Sasuke, what are you doing?"

"Hokage-sama, this woman claims to be the Shadow Ninja, she wanted to see her, but she seemed suspicious, so I escorted her here." Sakura decided to speak up.

"Really Hokage-sama, I return and get a kunai to the throat, I think this clearly demonstrates that it would be better for me to just leave again-"

"No. You remember our agreement, you agreed. I have decided, it is time for you to return. You can still go on missions, but you need to come back now. No arguments, I'm not in the mood."

"But-"

"No! Sasuke, may I introduce the Shadow Ninja to you, also known as Sakura Haruno." The kunai dropped away.

"What?" It was a whisper, and it sounded strained. Sakura winced and slowly turned around to face Sasuke. Her secret was out now, no point in denying it. Sighing Sakura pulled down her face mask and then pulled her hood off, revealing her long, pink hair.

"Hello Sasuke-kun. So good to see you again." Sasuke just stared at her, then shook his head, looking at Tsunade.

"No. That isn't possible, it is an illusion, Sakura is dead Hokage-sama." Tsunade sighed and massaged her temples.

"I assure you Sasuke, that is in fact Sakura, and, if you remember correctly she was pronounced missing, not dead. Sakura had been active for the past three years as Konoha's Shadow Ninja. Sasuke shook his head.

"But, how? We searched everywhere for her. There was no trace, not even an indication that she was still alive. Kakashi even used his dogs to hunt for her." Sakura winced, perhaps she shouldn't have pretended to be dead, if Sasuke was taking it this badly she hated to know how Naruto or Ino would take the news.

"You cannot track by smell if the person teleports Sasuke." Sasuke stared at her.

"Teleporting can only move you by a maximum of 30 meters, the dogs still would have picked up on your scent." Sakura sighed. What he said was true, but with her kage riyousha jutsu she could teleport to anywhere as long as she had the chakra. Teleporting tended to use the most chakra, but it was useful.

"I have a way to teleport further than that Sasuke, I teleported far away enough that nothing could track me." Sasuke stared at her.

"Why?" Tsunade suddenly spoke up.

"Simple really Sasuke. Because she didn't want anyone worrying about her, or being targeted because of her. As you know, the Shadow Ninja has a very large price on her head. But enough of this, Sakura, I've already rented an apartment in your name. Your bank account is also back under your true name. I want you to be back here in an hour, same with you Sasuke. Sasuke, you are to get Naruto and Kakashi, I want them here also, don't tell them about Sakura. They'll find out then." Sakura raised an eyebrow.

"You just want to see their reactions don't you Tsunade-sensei?"

"Of course. And Sakura, be here, don't try to escape, a deal is a deal, besides, I think it's time that Team 7 got back together." Sakura sighed but nodded, as did Sasuke. Both of them bowed and then exited her office. Sakura sighed.

"I apologize Sasuke." He stopped, as did she.

"So you're the Shadow Ninja?" Sakura frowned.

"Yes, and I truly am sorry for any pain I cause you Sasuke, but it was the easiest way." He nodded slowly.

"I suppose. Naruto will be overjoyed, I don't think he ever truly believed that you were gone." Sakura winced. She wished that she could just disappear, she shouldn't have agreed to Tsunade's condition three years ago. Sakura cursed her younger self.

"It's good to have you back Sakura, you've been missed." Sakura smiled at him.

"It's good to be back in a way." Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

"in a way Sakura?" Sakura shifted slightly, not liking the calculating look he was giving her.

"Yes, in a way, I mean, I missed everyone, but I'll miss the freedom of just being the Shadow Ninja." Sasuke nodded slowly.

"I suppose that makes sense. You'll probably have to adjust to being on a team again." Sakura sighed and nodded. Sasuke squeezed her shoulder.

"I'll see you in a little while Sakura, don't run off, and Sakura." She looked up at him. He gave her a small smile before leaving.

"I get it." Sakura sighed in relief. Three words, but underneath that was forgiveness. Sasuke at least forgave her. He understood. That was good, she just hoped that everyone else would to." Sakura took out the address and key Tsunade had given her and headed to her new home.

The flat that Tsunade had rented for her was huge. It was more than enough room for a three person household, let alone one single ninja. There was already furniture in the place as well, and food Sakura noted wryly. The flat probably cost a bundle to rent, but Sakura didn't really care. Her bank account held more than enough money to rent several flats indefinitely. Sakura had been busy in her three years away.

Deciding that there was only time to take a shower before heading back to Tsunade's office Sakura sighed and walked into her large bathroom. Eyeing the large sunk-in tub Sakura decided that a bath was better for muscles than a shower. So what if she was a few minutes late? Kakashi would probably be hours late anyway. Getting out of her bath Sakura donned her uniform, and added short black fingerless gloves to the ensemble. She donned her masks as well, not wanting to reveal her identity until Tsunade said so. Also wanting to postpone the other reunions until the last possible moment.

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Okay, that was the first chapter, hope you liked it. Reviews are welcome. 


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, I am however, the owner of my imagination which I shall now share with you.

Just in-case: Just in the off chance that it matters or you want to know this chapter doesn't contain anything mature. Maybe the odd swear…cover your ears…er…eyes, if they offend!

Thanks to:

Ro-Ho- (cackles) muhaha, so glad somebody noticed….ahem, yes, Sasuke is understanding…(laughs again and rubs hands together in glee)

JovianShe-Wolf- Thanks a bunch! Hope you like this chapter!

dustori- Haha, well, I hope that you like their reactions, I think that they're at least in the vicinity of classic…maybe

moodiful819- Thanks!

Lyneia- I'm glad you like the plot so far, hopefully I won't disappoint! Thank-you!

O.O- Haha, so enthusiastic! I'm glad you like it! Enjoy.

KailJoy- I shall keep going! I have a vague knowledge of where I want to take this story, some parts are clearer than others. Your wish is my command!

becky- thanks : ) I plan to!

Mystic Spirit Angel- Glad you think so! Sorry this update took a little longer than I wanted it to, hopefully my next update will be faster in coming.

Geminia- Ya, you're probably right, but, I mean, Tsunade is the Hokage so Sakura has to listen to her right? But yes, now that you mention it I probably could have done it better, or changed it a little, hopefully my next chapters will be better. I thought about the Shikamaru thing too, I'm thinking about just having it as unrelated, Shikamaru, in a sense, uses his chakra to…(I know this isn't exactly right but bear with me) create a shadow to capture his opponents. I'm thinking that Sakura becomes in a sense part of the shadows themselves, I know this probably makes no sense but basically I'm not going to have the two jutsus related at all. She could have just teleported in, true, but I wanted Sasuke to find her, plus I think she's pensive about returning so she needed to actually enter by the gates to help ground herself and believe it to be real. Thanks for the review!

Thanks to all of you who reviewed! You make me happy! Here's the next chapter, hope you like it!

Shadow Blossom

Sakura knocked on the office door and walked in. She was a few minutes late, but she was surprised to see that Kakashi was already there. She was the last one to come. Sakura cursed the sunk-in tub and its thrall.

"Ah, good, you're finally here. Kakashi, Naruto, Sasuke, may I present your new team mate, the Shadow Ninja." Sakura nodded politely at them. Sasuke looked slightly amused, Kakashi looked bored and Naruto looked angry.

"No! Old lady, no. I told you already. Nobody is going to replace Sakura except for Sakura!" Kakashi sighed.

"Naruto, Sakura is dead, she can't come back."

"She's not dead!" Sakura winced. She felt terrible now. Tsunade cleared her throat.

"As I was saying, this is the Shadow Ninja that you've no doubt heard of." Naruto didn't even look at her. Kakashi turned to eye her. Frowning at her unusual uniform.

"Hokage-sama, if I recall correctly, the Shadow Ninja works alone, and has never set foot inside the village. Why is she here now, and why is she being placed on out team?" Tsunade smiled, she obviously enjoyed playing with everyone's heads.

"Yes, it is true, she's been without a team for three years now, but I decided it was time for her to rejoin you." Kakashi frowned.

"Rejoin?" Tsunade smiled even wider, it looked more like an evil grin to Sakura.

"Yes, after all, the Shadow Ninja is Sakura Haruno." Silence. Kakashi didn't move but Naruto suddenly whipped around to stare at her. Sighing, Sakura removed her mask and hood, glaring at Tsunade.

"Sakura?" Naruto's tone was filled with disbelieving hope.

"Hi Naruto, how have you been?" Kakashi turned to stare at her too, his eye was wide. Sasuke just leant against the wall, looking bored but amused at Naruto. Sakura was suddenly engulfed in a large, bone crushing hug from Naruto.

"A-air!" Naruto loosened his hold on her somewhat.

"Oh, sorry. But I knew! I knew it! I knew you weren't dead! I told everyone, but they didn't believe me!" Sakura felt bad, Naruto was crying. Sakura tentatively returned Naruto's hug.

"Sorry Naruto."

"Why?" He was sniffling now, Sakura winced, her reasons seemed stupid in the face of his misery. Sasuke spoke up.

"So that we wouldn't worry about her and so that we wouldn't become targets apparently." Naruto whipped around to stare at Sasuke.

"You knew!?" Sasuke shook his head in the negative.

"No. I only just found out an hour ago." Naruto wiped his nose and sniffed again before turning back to Sakura.

"Are you going to leave again?" Sakura gave him a weak smile.

"No Naruto, I'm not." He beamed at her and gave her another bone crushing hug. Naruto forgave her, that much was obvious. Kakashi still hadn't said anything, but he was eying her. Suddenly he stepped forward and ruffled her long, wait length pink hair.

"Welcome back Sakura. I'm sure it will be more fun with you around." Sakura beamed at him. She was glad that she was forgiven for the hardships she had put them through. Tsunade smiled and them cleared her throat.

"Naruto, let her go. Now, then, I have a mission for the new Team 7." They all turned their attention to her.

"It's only B class, but it will probably take a while, enough time fore all four of you to get reacquainted and learn to work together again, You've all grown a lot, especially Sakura."

"What's the mission old lady?"

"Don't call me that Naruto! Your mission is to patrol along our boarder, make sure there aren't any enemies near our border. It should take you a few weeks to finish. You leave in an hour. You're dismissed." They all left her office and Sakura smiled at them all, Naruto was stuck to her like glue but she didn't really mind.

"Well, I guess I'd better go grab my stuff, I'll see you guys in an hour at the gate ya?" Naruto frowned at her.

"I already have a pack set up to go, I'll come with you Sakura, I want to see where you live now."

"I'm ready to go to."

"Me too." Sakura sighed, apparently they were all coming with her. She didn't really need to pack either, she hadn't really had a chance to unpack that much, but she needed add some food to her pack. Leading the way Sakura went to her new flat and opened the door. Kakashi gave a low whistle.

"I'm guessing that you have quite a large bank account Sakura." Sakura sighed and nodded.

"It happens when you're in the field for three years. Why don't you make yourselves at home while I get my stuff together. It didn't take her more than five minutes to be ready, Sakura suddenly wished that she had unpacked everything from her pack. When she returned to the spacious living room they all looked up. Kakashi was eyeing her uniform suspiciously. She had put her masks back on, she was too used to them to go without them for long.

"May I ask Sakura, why all the ribbons? Surely they get in your way." Sakura shrugged.

"It helps with the appearance, and they don't get in the way anymore, I'm used tot hem by now." Sasuke spoke up.

"I've heard a lot of rumours about the Shadow Ninja. Just how many of those rumours are true?" Sakura sighed.. Some of the rumours about her were true, whereas others were complete fantasy.

"There are some truths in all rumours Sasuke, which ones did you want to know about?" Naruto spoke up.

"Can you really do jutsu without using any hand seals?" Sakura frowned.

"Yes and no." Sasuke frowned.

"What do you mean?" Sakura bit her lip.

"Well, I still need to use hand seals for jutsu, but there is one jutsu that I don't need hand seals for simply because that is the way it works." Naruto looked ecstatic.

"That's great Sakura-chan! Can you teach it to me?" Sakura smiled but shook her head.

"No Naruto. It's a jutsu that only my family knows, it can't be taught to others." Sasuke nodded in understanding and Naruto wilted. Kakashi stood up.

"Well if everyone is ready to go, then why don't the rest of us grab out packs and then meet and training ground three for a half-hour of practice. It will help us get a general idea of each others strength. They all nodded and five minutes later Sakura stood on practice field three.

"I think we should see what Sakura can do since she's been gone so long. We'll see how far you've come alright?" Sakura smiled and nodded.

"Alright? Am I facing you all?" They all frowned at her.

"Sakura, you can't face us all." Sakura glared at Sasuke but shrugged.

"We only have a half hour, besides, it will let you all see basically what I can do, and it will let me become accustomed to working together with you." Kakashi nodded slowly.

"Very well, but nobody do anything that requires too much chakra, we have a mission to do and I don't need anyone dieing because they used up too much chakra." He was looking at Sakura. She felt angry, did he think she was stupid? She'd been out on her own for three years and she was still alive, that had to count for something didn't it?

"Of course. Shall we begin then?" Sakura disappeared in a swirling of shadows. She appeared in the shadow of a tree, and using her kage riyousha jutsu she blended in with the shadow, nobody would be able to detect her. Not unless they used the Sharingan, but Sakura doubted they would, at least, not for a while. She smirked as all three eventually met in the middle of a small clearing.

"I can't find her." The other two nodded their confirmation. Now it was time for her to attack. Sakura quickly summoned two shadow creatures to her. They looked more like sharp edged blobs with two arms each, and they had no chakra to speak of, but they were quick and their attacks rivalled even her own. Each one had their own shadow weapons. One had a sword, one held two shadow kunai.

Normally shadows were non-corporeal, but with Sakura's kage riyousha jutsu they became corporeal, and were more than able to attack. Sakura smiled as her two creatures silently closed in on the three ninja. With a single thought they sped forward, attacking the three. Kakashi turned out to be a log which Sakura had predicted. Sasuke killed off one of her shadow summons -something that wasn't all that hard, they were just like Naruto's shadow clones-and then he disappeared before the other could hurt him.

Naruto apparently took offence to being attacked last and quickly dispersed with her last shadow creature. She smiled, he still reacted the same way. Naruto sped off into the trees. Sakura stayed hidden, using the shadows to be able to tell where the others were. She smiled, Naruto was the closest. She transported through the shadows and appeared directly behind him, a kunai pressed to his throat.

"Play dead Naruto and you'll get to see something really cool." Apparently the idea of seeing something cool outweighed his want to fight her because he quickly lay on the ground. Sakura hissed.

"Give a sharp cry Naruto or you'll be waiting forever." Naruto complied, very loudly.

"No! Sakura-chan! Ah!" He sounded fairly convincing and Sakura smiled to herself when the shadows whispered that Kakashi and Sasuke were coming full speed in her direction.

"Okay Naruto, I want you to remain absolutely still, I mean it, don't even twitch, otherwise the super cool thing I want to show you will end up happening to you, and I doubt very much that you'll find it cool then." Naruto nodded in understanding and his body stiffened, nothing moved. Good. Sakura used her kage riyousha jutsu to create something akin to chakra strings, but they would attack and capture the nearest moving thing, rendering someone immobile.

Sakura usually used it if she had a group of ninjas after her, she killed one and set the chakra string trap, and when the comrades of the fallen nin came at least one, if not more of them would be taken out of the immediate battle. It meant that she could complete her missions a lot quicker and with a great deal more ease. Once she was done Sakura melted into the shadows and waited for the other two to arrive.

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Okay, that's it for chapter two, sorry it's a little shorter than the last one, I've been busy lately, not as much time to write, hopefully I'll have more time later on. Reviews appreciated, thanks for reading! 


	3. Of Shadows and Temporary Defeat

**Disclaimer: **Don't own it, this plot line, yes, but Naruto and all its characters? Nope, sadly, those don't belong to me, but I'm slowly learning to deal with it.

So** sorry **it took me so long to update! I know, I'm a terrible person that you all want to shake violently. I really don't have an excuse, I'm just one of those terrible updaters, sorry again! Thank-you for your patience and the wonderful reviews! Check your in-boxes! And if you're an anonymous reviewer…or you forgot to log on…my replies to your reviews are at the end.

**Shadow Blossom**

**-xX **Of Shadows and Temporary Defeats** Xx-**

Sakura smiled in satisfaction as Sasuke and Kakashi came rushing into the clearing. Instantly her chakra strings were on them, rendering them both immobile. Sasuke looked pissed beyond belief, and Kakashi…Kakashi…was a log. Damn, Sakura thought to herself as she quickly scanned the area for the great Copy Nin, only to finally sense him when the cold tip of his kunai pressed against her throat.

Double Damn. Sakura quickly thought up ways to escape, but they all required quite a bit of chakra, and hadn't they agreed to use the minimum amount of chakra possible so that they were prepared for their mission? Besides, Sakura thought, smiling to herself, it wouldn't be as much fun for them to know everything that she could do right away.

The gentle nudge of the kunai against her throat brought Sakura back to reality and she relaxed her muscles, letting Kakashi know that he had won -this time. The kunai was instantly gone and Kakashi was on the ground studying the immobilized Sasuke and then the unmoving Naruto.

Sakura wondered what was wrong with Naruto, then she remembered that she had told him not to move, obviously he could take orders better now.

"Naruto, you can move if you want, thanks for playing along." Sasuke's glare that had been on Sakura the whole time instantly snapped to Naruto.

"You!? You helped her? What's the matter with you dobe?" Naruto lunged for the immobile Sasuke and they both went down, both glaring daggers at each other. He obviously still hated Sasuke's nickname for him.

Maybe she should find a way to not only immobilize them but stop them from arguing as well? Suddenly Sasuke's glare was back on her and Sakura had to force herself to meet his eyes.

"Sakura…release me." His words carried a hint of a threat and Sakura frowned but nevertheless she released her jutsu, allowing him to move his body once again. Naruto was suddenly on the bottom and Sasuke was holding a kunai to his throat -maybe she should have separated them before she released her jutsu?

Twenty minutes later saw all four of them on the road, Kakashi in the lead, followed by Naruto and Sasuke with Sakura bringing up the rear. Their mission was simple: patrol Konoha's border and kill any enemy Shinobi. It seemed pointless to Sakura who had been doing A-rank missions and higher, but Tsunade was right, they needed time to get accustomed to each other again. Still, after only two hours of travelling with them Sakura was ready to declare herself a missing nin and disappear.

After spending most of her time in silence having to travel with someone like Naruto who found silence to be nothing more than a word he didn't understand, Sakura was ready to melt into her shadows and return to the silence. If she had just been travelling with Kakashi and Sasuke it would have been fine, but with Naruto there Sasuke seemed to become more talkative than his usual stoic self.

Well, at least Kakashi is silent, Sakura thought to herself. She silently thanked whatever powers that be that the copy ninja loved his little orange books too much to waste precious time on talking.

"So Sakura, is it good to be back amongst the living?" Damn. Maybe she had jinxed herself with thinking that Kakashi wouldn't talk?

He still held his orange book in front of him but he was talking, he was breaking the last small bubble of hopeful silence she had left, and it left her something akin to winded.

"Huh?" It was all she could get out, with the magnitude of never-ending noise for their entire journey Sakura's mind was too busy trying to remember if there was a jutsu to silence people to really listen to whatever Kakashi had said.

"I asked if you enjoyed being back among the living."

After finally conceding to herself that there was no silencing jutsu and filing away a self-note to invent one Sakura came back to the real world and finally worked out what Kakashi had asked her. She shrugged, hoping to end the conversation as quickly as possible, sure, sometimes she had muttered to herself or shouted obscenities at the trees or the odd squirrel, but she wasn't about to get into some long conversation with Kakashi of all people, eating a rock or Naruto's head would have been less trying.

"I guess." There, her answer didn't leave any room for further development of the conversation and now he could go back to his graphic novels that he somehow managed to read as though they were mere documentaries and not the many sexual encounters that Jiraiya pretended that he and Tsunade had had and then wrote down using different names to fool people into thinking he could actually write great novels.

Unfortunately for Sakura being away from civilization for so long had dulled her senses and her abilities to read and answer people well, for Kakashi continued his pursuit of the verbal trial known to others as a conversation.

"You guess? Surely it must have gotten lonely being by yourself for so long?" Was three years really such a long time? It had seemed like only a few month to Sakura, and why would she find it lonely? She felt just as lonely among other people, besides, she always had her shadows to keep her company didn't she?

"Not really." Maybe he would stop if she seemed to be almost unresponsive?

"What do you mean?" Then again, maybe not.

What did he want from her? Some long speech about how much she had missed everyone? She wasn't about to lie that badly. In truth, she had enjoyed being on her own, being in control of her own life. Sakura had loved the feeling that she wasn't holding anyone back, that she was powerful, that she wasn't a weak link, it had been exhilarating.

Not to mention that in the short three years of her supposed death Sakura had come to the conclusion that she had been a very sad and pathetic twelve year old and that she didn't love Sasuke, in fact, after taking a minute to review everything he had done Sakura realized that he was a heartless bastard not worth her time. But she wasn't about to say any of that, who knew what kind of conversations that answer would have provoked?

No, she wouldn't tell him that she had loved everything about being on her own and hadn't missed them at all, that might have hurt their feelings, instead she would tell him a partial truth, perhaps with a hint imbedded in it?

"I like the silence." Hopefully she hadn't been too straightforward. She wanted him to catch on though, wanted him to take her answer as his queue to go back and read his little orange book, to leave her alone, to at least let her pretend that there was nothing but silence around her.

"Sure, everyone likes silence once in a while, but it must have gotten stifling after a while yes?" Did he need her to hit him over the head with a huge tree with the word 'silence' engraved in it?! Was the man really that dense? Maybe that's why he could read Jiraiya's books, Kakashi was just too dense to actually know what he was reading. Yes, it made so much sense now, that was the answer.

Unfortunately that particular answer didn't help her to find a way out of the conversation, instead she was forced to once again make petty conversation, at least squirrels just ran away and didn't find it necessary to carry on a conversation.

"Sure, I guess. It's getting late, I'm going to scout ahead and look for somewhere to camp for tonight."

Sakura didn't even give him time to answer, she just sped off into the trees, putting as much distance as was at least on the verge of still being polite as she could put between them. She really had to get used to dealing with her old team mates, she doubted that she would be able to run away each time they wanted to talk to her. Leaving for three years was suddenly having its downsides.

Okay, so it was mostly fluff, but I thought it was at least semi-funny. Thanks for reading! Reviews are a wanted and loved thing, so make me happy dear people and review to your hearts content!

Now, here are the replies to the annon. Reviewers, thank-you for reviewing everybody!

**non-member**- Glad you like it, ya, I don't like it when Sakura is all weak so I try to portray her as at least somewhat stronger. Thanks, I will!

**Lyneia**- Ya, I don't like it when she's weak, which is why I love the older her! Yes, I'm an avid reader of the manga, I'm all up to date on it D. Yay! You liked the way I have the characters interacting?! Awesome! Thanks for reviewing!


	4. Of Strength Unseen

**Shadow Blossom**

**-xX **Of Strength Unseen** Xx-**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Naruto, or Sakura, or Kakashi, hell, I don't even own the word kunai, but that's okay, because this is all non-profit and just for fun. Although…if you happen to own Kakashi you could always be nice and share him with me!

Okay, fourth chapter, yay! Thank-you to all my wonderful reviewers, you guys rock! Check your inboxes…er…unless you're an anon. reviewer, in which case I answered your review at the end of this chapter. Thank-you again to anyone who reviewed and also to anyone that took the time to read my story! Hope you enjoy this next chapter.

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Two days. It had only been two days and already Sakura was ready to either cry in frustration of those around her or turn homicidal and kill them all if only to once again hear nothing but silence. Of course, she could do neither, for, crying would make her appear weak and she had no intentions as proving their stupid theories of her being weak. That left the homicidal route, of course, if she killed them all she would be declared a missing nin and while Sakura desperately craved silence and solitude it wasn't worth betraying Konoha…yet.

Maybe she could dispose of the bodies and say that they were attacked by a large group of Sound nin? No, nobody would ever believe that her companions would go down so easily, plus if she were to return without a scratch…no, much too suspicious. Still, it calmed her somewhat to envision the route of killing them all. She could at least pretend…that wasn't wrong…was it?

"Nee, Sakura-chan, why does everyone think you're so powerful?"

Oh, Naruto was just begging her to let her daydream become reality. Hadn't she proven that she was strong already? Yes, Kakashi had won in the end, but she hadn't been truly serious, she hadn't really been playing with all her cards. Still, that coupled with her reputation and the blonde still considered her weak?! Enticing thoughts of silencing the Kyuubi container and leaving him at least trussed up in some forgotten corner of the forest kept her from replying for a moment.

Eventually she broke free, telling herself that she couldn't do that to him…as much as she wanted to.

"I don't know Naruto, perhaps because I am?" He laughed, Sasuke laughed, even Kakashi chuckled. Oh, how easy it was now to see why so many chose the path of a missing nin, how easy indeed! But no, Sakura had to be a good little Konoha kunoichi and ignore them, she had to calm herself, she couldn't let what they said get to her, she…couldn't.

But it hurt…even after three hardening years of honing her skills…it hurt, their disbelief of her abilities smarted. Sure, when she had been twelve she had been weak, always watching from behind. But then she had been trained by the Hokage herself, she had proven to them all then that she wasn't weak…hadn't she? And then, in the three years she had been 'dead' they must have heard the rumours about the Shadow Ninja, they MUST have! Why then, why did they still think of her as weak? Why couldn't they even so much as entertain the idea that she was strong, that she stood at least at par with them?

But no, they still saw that little twelve year old when they looked at her. Would they never see, never realize that she was strong now?

Underneath the anger at them for not acknowledging her was a hurt, and under that was worry. Worry that they were right, worry that she wasn't as strong as she thought. Worry that she was still just that weak little twelve year old girl with a hopeless crush. So, to distract herself from the hurt and worry she focussed on the anger and her love of silence. Needles to say that for the past two days she had been rather rude, and the rest of her team probably thought she was crazy. Sakura had overheard Naruto ask Kakashi what was wrong with her, Kakashi had kindly replied to him that it was probably 'just that time of the month'.

Oh, how she truly wished that it was only that. At least then she would have a reason for answering their innocent enough questions with terse, one word replies. Then she would have an excuse for always finding some job or another that took her out of their camp each night, that she always kept a distance. But she didn't have a reason, at least, she was denying her only reason. Really, who the hell wanted to admit that they were putting distance between themselves and their team so that they could cling to at least the memory of when they thought they were strong?

So she let them believe what they wanted to, what did it matter anyway? Wasn't the whole point of the mission to become accustomed to working together again? Sakura decided that being a part of Team 7 came hand in hand with self-doubt and self-disgust. Sakura hated everything about their mission. She hated that she had to be around three people with no time to herself, she hated the long looks she got, the awkward silences, their abundant amount of questions.

She hated having to force herself to at least try to seem like a human capable of communicating with others. But most of all, she hated the feeling of weakness they all gave her, she hate the way they just expected her to be weak. Even her position in their formation told her clearly that they all thought she was still weak. She was third from the front, second from the back. Sasuke was in the rear, Kakashi in the front followed by Naruto, with Sakura in-between her two old team mates.

It was probably the worst place to put her, except in the back, she would have been the worst of them to go in the back, but even that position would have been better than her current one. At least if she had been given the back that would have meant that they trusted her, that they thought she was strong. Instead she got the position that was the most protected, that practically screamed 'the weak link'.

It was torture. She would have been most useful in the front, her talents would have been best used in the first position, and event he second from the front would have been fine. She could have sent out shadow creatures, had them check, and if they found anything she would have enough time to block whatever attack was coming -theoretically- but when she had told Kakashi he had just smiled at given her a pat on the head. Like a child. Like she was just some amusing person who wished to be strong but who really wasn't. Like she was still twelve. Like she was weak. It was agonizing.

Sakura decided that Tsunade had a very sadistic sense of humour. The Hokage had to if she had devised such a horrible mission. But deep down Sakura knew it was all her. She wouldn't have had the problem with communicating with them all if she hadn't faked her death three years ago. But then again, if she hadn't done that she wouldn't be strong. She would have always been bound by her team mates' view of her as weak. Then again, everything about her self image that she had painstakingly built seemed to come crumbling down with each side-long glance they sent her, with each worried look that told her they didn't think she was strong, that they viewed her as someone that needed protection. Oh, if only there was some way to make them see.

Sakura was roughly brought out of her musings when the alert from her shadow creature that she had sent out unbeknownst to her team. She didn't have enough time to throw up a shield in front of anyone, and there was no time to jump in front of Kakashi and Naruto to deflect the coming weapons. The only thing that she could do in her position was deflect any weapons that came at her away from herself and Sasuke, and shout a warning to the two in front of her.

Fools! If they had placed her in the front like she'd told them to she could have prevented it all! Instead she was forced to watch as her warning came to late and Naruto and Kakashi dodged most of the kunai and shuriken, but not enough, they still got hurt, wounds were still inflicted. And then the weapons were heading toward her and Sasuke and she was deflecting them, having known they were coming she was ready, at least she could deflect enough of them so that if any got past her Sasuke would be ready to act.

Even though she did her best some of the weapons still got past her, and she did obtain a marvellous gash on her upper arm, but at east when the weapons got past her Sasuke was ready to protect himself. Kakashi and Naruto were also deflecting weapons, although they were a little worse for the wear. And the then weapons stopped, and the ninja came, and then the fight for life began.

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rook- Aw, wow, thank-you…ya, I know what you mean…I've read a few of those…it just makes it too hard to connect to her if she's perfect…I mean she's human so she has to be imperfect, but she's the main character so she gets to be at least pretty strong J. Thanks-you again, hope you liked this chapter!**

Okay, thank-you to everyone who reads this, hope you liked it, reviews are loved like a candy to a kid on a sugar high!


	5. Of Betrayal

-dryice02 walks onto stage encased in pillows of varying description and colour-

Okay, so, before we start the whole, use dryice02 as a dart board for pointy objects allow me to prostrate myself on the ground and beg your forgiveness.

-attempts to do so only to discover that the pillows stop her from doing much but rolling on the floor like an overstuffed marshmallow-

Er…right, well, that didn't work very well did it?

Okay, but in all honesty I do realize that I've probably caused many of you to scream in frustration and curse my name and I am EXTREMELY sorry for the MONTHS of waiting for an update.

::sigh::

I wish I had some kind of a cool excuse like…um…I got lost in an alternate reality and only just made it back, or I was abducted by aliens but I really don't. In all honesty I could play the school card but even that's wrong. If I had truly tried I could have pumped out a chapter or two at SOME POINT, but I didn't because that's just who I am, I skip around to other things and before I know it I've let my fanfics sit and collect dust for months and then when I go back to see what I was doing with them (because it's been so long that I can't remember half of the plot) I grimace at what I wrote, bash my head on the computer screen and then try to get back into writing mode. So, anyway, the whole point of this was to say that basically I'm a loser and that your hatred is probably well placed, but hey, at least I admit it right?

::sigh::

Okay, let the throwing of things begin…man, and people wonder why I have a healthy fear of all things pointy, I mean, if I can poke my own eye while putting glasses on chances are, every single thing you guys throw is gonna hit. Okay, well, the next chapter is below, please enjoy (if you're still reading this and if you can even remember what the hell is going on).

**Shadow Blossom**

**-xX **Of Betrayal** Xx-**

Sakura deflected a kunai one of the enemy Sound nin threw her way.

Why were there so many of them? What did they want?

She spun, kicking her foot out to catch an unsuspecting nin in the gut. He flew backwards, hitting a large tree with a revolting crack.

Why was Orochimaru attacking them now? He had been so silent for the past three years. They had almost forgotten about him. So why was he suddenly back in the picture?

Sakura threw a kunai at on of the Sound nin, he evaded it and threw his own kunai at her. Sakura dodged, but not enough to remain unscathed. It sliced through her thigh and Sakura winced in pain. She quickly called up a shadow creature to take the other man out. Her anger at being cut got the best of her and the shadow creature disposed of the man with more force than was necessary.

Why did things have to go down hill so fast? Even the Akatsuki had been quiet for the past three years, but they were still felt, they were still there, lurking in the shadows but they were low key now. But Orochimaru? He had just disappeared, nobody had seen or heard of him in three years. Even his Sound nin had been invisible. So why now? Why was he sending so many of his men to attack them? Was Konoha being attacked, or was it just their group that was being targeted specifically.

Sakura spun and parried and enemy's kunai with one of her own. She was going to run out of kunai soon. She pushed chakra into her limbs and pushed the man backwards. He obviously wasn't expecting her to have any strength because he was caught off balance and fell backwards. Sakura threw her kunai at him before he had a chance to get up. He fell back down, eyes vacant. Dead. Sakura turned away from him and surveyed her surroundings, searching for her next opponent.

What could Orochimaru possibly be after? Why would he send so many Sound nin to attack them? There had to be at least fifty of them, probably more.

Sakura looked around her, and her blood boiled. She couldn't stop herself from getting angry. How _dare _they? Those stupid Sound nin were as good as ignoring her, instead they were focussed on Naruto and Kakashi. No, that wasn't quite right, most of them were trying to get to Naruto and the rest were trying to detain Kakashi from aiding Naruto. But where was Sasuke? Sakura looked around and couldn't find him, which meant he was somewhere in the surrounding trees obviously fighting the other Sound nin because not all of them were in the small clearing. Sakura looked back at Kakashi and Naruto. It was obvious that they were after Naruto for some reason, and the only reason Kakashi was being targeted was because he was a threat.

Sakura wanted to scream, she wanted to revert to her twelve year old self and throw a temper-tantrum at Orochimaru and his men for daring to think that she posed no threat. How dare they!? But no, she was older now, nineteen was too old to throw a fit. At least, that's what Sakura told herself, not that it stopped her from letting her anger get the best of her. Before she knew what she was doing she had summoned fifteen Shadow Creatures and sent them into the battle, launching herself after them.

It was like an endless, beautifully choreographed dance. A dance of death. A dance of blood, of hatred, anger, wishes, broken spirits. And in the center of it all Sakura danced through her enemies. Her Shadow Creatures mimicked her, surrounded her and wove between her enemies. Sakura ignored the now numerous cuts adorning her body, caring only that the enemy recognize her. It was almost worse than her own team mates thinking she was weak, but to add on her enemies as well? No, Sakura couldn't just let it stand like that, she craved to be acknowledged, she needed it or she would burst, and possibly go insane. And somewhere along the line everything stopped registering in her mind and all that was left was the pathological need to identify herself, to receive acknowledgement, to be known.

It took a few seconds for Sakura to realize that she was no longer moving, and when she did she felt her blood run cold. The fifty enemy nin that they had cut down to at least twenty had somehow multiplied into a hundred and both she and Kakashi were trapped; held hostage by the Sound nin. Naruto was still fighting, but he was losing strength and Sakura knew he wouldn't last much longer. She should have been angry that her quest for acknowledgement had been cut short but instead she felt shock rush through her system when she saw Sasuke standing nonchalantly at the head of the many Sound nin. He was watching Naruto fight with a bored gaze and sudden realization hit Sakura like a solid brick wall.

Not Orochimaru, Sasuke. It was Sasuke that was leading Sound…_had_ been for who knew how long. And then the rest of the pieces fell into place, why Sasuke had returned, why the Sound nin were only after Naruto, all of it. Sasuke wanted to capture Naruto and use him as bait to bring Akatsuki to him. To bring _Itachi_ to him. Sasuke had planned everything, his return to Konoha, the Sound attack, everything. Sakura fumed, how long had Konoha believed that Orochimaru was still leading Sound when their actual leader was walking among them.

But, there was one thing that Sasuke couldn't have counted on, and that was Sakura herself. She was determined to stop him from getting Naruto, nothing mattered more than the safest of her friend, and Sasuke's plan would no doubt get him killed. Sakura had never been so thankful that her Kage Riyousha Jutsu required no hand seals for her to perform it. But she was low on chakra which meant she had very few options left to her even with her jutsu. But there was one thing that she could do, one thing that would work, one thing that would hold even if Sasuke killed her in an attempt to dissipate the jutsu. Sakura called the jutsu to herself, reaching out to the shadows and moulding them to fit her vision.

Then, just as Naruto collapsed from exhaustion and the Sound nin made to move in a shield of shadows surrounded the Kyuubi container, shielding him from any and all attacks, weapons and even any jutsu that Sasuke could throw at him. Sakura smirked to herself even as her vision started to waver slightly, it was obvious that she had used too much chakra, a dangerous thing in any position, but she still smiled with the knowledge that Naruto was safe for a good, long time.

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Short? Yes, it is, but I felt that this was a good place to end it so there you have it. I've responded to all of your reviews (thank-you very much by the way) and for those of you who either don't have an account or weren't logged on your responses are below.

carolyna- thank-you, I'm glad you think so. Yes, I do read manga online and there are several sites where you can read said manga. But if you're looking for Naruto you can read most (but not the newest chapters) at mangavolume dot com. If you want the latest chapters you can get them at narutobuzz dot com but you have to download.

SpeedDemon315- Haha, yes, well, it just shows how much Sakura has changed and yet nobody seems to acknowledge it. But yes, I'd be kicking their asses too. Thanks for the review.

coolice girl- thanks, I'm glad you like it!

THANKS to everyone that reviewed and once again, sorry for the months of waiting for this chapter!

dryice02


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